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Your total MCAT score ranges from 472 to 528, with 500 as the midpoint and 528 as a perfect score.
Your percentile rank shows how your score compares to everyone who took the exam. A 512, for example, places you in the 83rd percentile. That means you outperformed 83% of test takers; that’s a strong MCAT score for most MD programs.
Percentiles matter when evaluating your competitiveness at target MD programs, comparing your scores with those of other test-takers, and assessing how well you perform under pressure. A 510 MCAT score at one school may be at or above the school's median for matriculants. At another, it falls short, weakening your application. Find the median MCAT for each school on your list and compare your percentile directly with each school's matriculant median.
When evaluating your application, admissions committees look at two things:
A high total MCAT score with a weak section score can raise red flags. For example, if you received a 130 in Chemical and Physical Foundations but a 124 in Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations, it could show an imbalance in your MCAT prep plan.
Retake the MCAT if your score falls more than two points below a target school's median. Below that threshold, the risk of a lower score on a retake rarely outweighs the potential upside.
A good MCAT score percentile is the 84th percentile or higher, which corresponds to a score of 512. That is the average MCAT for students who actually matriculate into MD programs in the U.S.
If you are targeting a top-20 MD program, aim for a score of 524. This score surpasses the median MCAT scores of every top-20 medical school in the nation.
Inspira Advantage has MCAT tutors who scored in the 99th percentile who can help you master each section of the exam. Our experts have scored in the top 1% of test-takers nationwide, so they know how to refine your study schedule, prioritize content that often appears on the exam, or prepare for a retake.
Each of the four MCAT sections scores between 118 and 132. Your total score is the sum of all four. A 500 means you performed at roughly the 50th percentile, meaning half of all test takers scored the same or lower.
The Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems accounts for 25% of your total MCAT score and has the lowest section average of the four sections at 124.6. Here’s how the score percentiles compare and what makes a competitive score.
The Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills section accounts for 25% of your total MCAT score and has a section average of 125.8. That’s the second-lowest average of the four sections. Here’s a look at the score percentiles and their competitiveness.
The Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems accounts for 25% of your total MCAT score and has a section average of 126.7. That’s the second-highest average of the four sections. Here’s a look at the score percentiles and their competitiveness.
The Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior section accounts for 25% of your total MCAT score and has a section average of 127.5. That’s the highest average of the four sections. Here’s a look at the score percentiles and their competitiveness.
Full-length MCAT practice tests can help you improve your section-specific scores. Our practice test was designed by 99th percentile tutors to help you turn your weaknesses into strengths and receive the score you’ve worked hard to earn.
The best way to understand the MCAT scale is to look at specific scores and what they actually mean. A raw number tells you little on its own. Walking through concrete examples shows you how a few points in either direction can shift your percentile rank significantly and change which programs are realistic targets.
You can calculate your MCAT score to get a better understanding of where you stand on the exam. Add your four section scores together, then compare the total to the percentile table. From there, find the median MCAT score for each school on your list and compare your score directly to that median to gauge your competitiveness.
Let’s look at one student’s MCAT section scores on each of the four sections and calculate their total score and percentile.
Each of the four section scores contributes equally to your total. In this example, they add up to 509, which belongs to the 77th percentile. A 509 MCAT score exceeds the median at UC Davis but falls below the median at every other top-20 medical program, making it a score that limits your competitiveness at elite programs.
Let's look at a student whose scores are more evenly distributed across all four sections.
Each of the four section scores contributes equally to your total. In this example, they add up to 518, which sits at the 95th percentile. A 518 MCAT score aligns with the median at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and exceeds the median at medical schools such as Pittsburgh, Michigan, UT Southwestern, UCLA, UNC, George Washington, Wisconsin, and UC Davis.
Now let's look at a student with a strong science score but a significant dip in one section, which is a pattern that admissions committees might flag.
These four scores add up to 501, placing them at the 52nd percentile. The total looks passable on the surface, but the 121 in CARS sits at the 15th percentile and signals a meaningful weakness that most MD admissions committees will notice regardless of the overall score.
The MCAT is scored across four sections, each ranging from 118 to 132. Your total score is the sum of all four section scores, producing a final result between 472 and 528. Every score comes with a percentile rank showing how you performed relative to all test takers.
The highest possible MCAT score is 528, which requires a perfect 132 on each of the four sections. A 528 places you in the 100th percentile, meaning no test taker scored higher than you.
The lowest possible MCAT score is 472, corresponding to a 118 on each of the four sections. At 472, you are below the 1st percentile of all test takers. No MD or DO program has an entering class with a median anywhere near this range.
MCAT percentiles update every May 1st and reflect scores from the three most recent testing years combined. Small shifts are normal from year to year, but the changes are rarely dramatic enough to move a score across a tier.
Retake the MCAT if your score falls more than two points below the median of your target schools. A score below the 75th percentile limits your school list at the MD level and warrants serious consideration of a retake. If your score already meets or exceeds the median at your target programs, the risk of a lower retake score outweighs the potential upside.
Focus on your raw score first and use your percentile to benchmark competitiveness. Medical schools report medians as raw scores, so a 512 is more actionable than knowing you're in the 84th percentile. Once you have your raw score, your percentile tells you how it compares to the broader test-taking population and helps you decide whether a retake makes sense.
Dr. Akhil Katakam was the original author of this article. Snippets of his work may remain.
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